Daily Archives: June 20, 2012

There are many different ways that you can use the media to build excitement about your business. Once you’ve identified the key ways to go about marketing your business to the public, it’s time to start pitching. But this is easier said than done: the media rejects roughly 95% of the pitches they receive. At the start, it seems the odds are against you, but there are a few key things you can do to capture their attention.

Do Your Research

Seems easy enough, but the media are constantly inundated with pitches for products or services they would not normally cover. This is why your research is important: you need to have a thorough understanding of the type of content they cover.

Many publications have an editorial calendar–particularly big name magazines. Once you have created a list of media sources you’d like to pitch, check each website for its calendar. For example, if you run a service that helps empower businesswomen, you may want to pitch Glamour magazine in September for their December “Women of the Year” issue (magazines plan 3-4 months in advance).

Know who you are emailing. Your emails are less likely to get read when you’re sending to a general email and not a personal one. It isn’t hard to figure out the names of journalists who could potentially be interested in what you have to offer. Once you’ve come up with a target list of ideal publications, begin checking out bylines belonging to stories that fit the industry or niche you’re a part of. These are the people you want to reach out to: those who have a vested interest in what you’re promoting.